How to Start WordPress Podcast in 10 Minutes

Running the podcasting has gained a great momentum in recent years. More and more webmasters adopt this practice to better attract their online readers and to get more advertising profits via audio. However, the process for setting up a podcast is not easy, requiring you to carry out a lot of steps.

In this case, we have listed a step-by-step guide about how to start WordPress podcast in 10 minutes in the following.

Things You Need to Know about Podcasting

In fact, podcasting is supported by WordPress since the version 1.5, with which your audio contents can be distributed via RSS. You simply need to add a link to your audio file in the blog post, and WordPress will add the necessary tag to your RSS feed automatically, making it available as a podcast. Therefore, your listeners can subscribe to your exclusive feed and download your podcasting contents to their audio players.

Preparations to Start WordPress Podcast

Before setting up the podcast on your WordPress site, you firstly need to carry out some preparations as listed in the following.

Purchase a Great Microphone

In the very beginning, you have to make sure that your microphone is of high quality to record your podcasting. Never utilize the built-in microphones on your computer or earphone, for they can come out the terrible and distorted sound to scare your listeners away.

Personally, we recommend you to adopt the Samson USB mic, which is the starting-level microphone for starters like you. Besides, it possible, do not forget to use the shock mount and mic arm to better record your voice.

Install the Record Application

Besides the microphone, you also need the recording software that can record your podcast and do some minor edits. Among all the available tools on the web, we sincerely recommend Audacity – a free and cross-platform recording tool.

After installing it, you need to click the File menu to create a new project. Then, you can start recording your voice by clicking the Record button.

You need to note that this tool has the ability to cut files, add silence, embed background music and eliminate voices. Therefore, there is no need for you to worry about the coughing and awkward breaks when recording.

To be frank, Audacity is pretty powerful coming with a lot of features, so it is impossible for us to cover all the aspects in this post. In this case, you’d better check this WIKI page that is written by its developers for new users.

After recording and editing your podcast, you need to export the file. Here, you’d better choose the MP3 format that comes with the small file size and good voice quality.

Choose the Podcast Hosting Provider

You have to note that your podcast contents can take up a large sum of your server resources. Also, as your listeners will download these files, your loading speed can be negatively affected to a large extent. Therefore, it is good for you to choose an additional hosting provider to serve your podcast files.

After searching on the web, we have found that BlueHost is the top option recommended by a large number of podcasters. The main reason is that their hosting service is 100% compatible with WordPress and they also offer a special podcast plugin that you can use later for the publishing of your podcast contents. In addition, this hosting company has a large community, from which a lot of experienced podcasters can communicate with each other. Therefore, if you are in trouble when managing your podcast, you can learn from them.

How to Start WordPress Podcast

As everything is prepared, now, you can start podcasting on your WordPress site by carrying out the following mentioned steps.

Step 1 – Add A Special Post Category for Your Podcasts

You need to separate your podcast from the rest of your content, so the first thing you should do is to add a new Podcast category for the blog posts.

To achieve this, you only need to click the Categories button under the drop-down menu of Posts. Then, enter the new category name, slug and description, and click the Add New Category button.

By doing so, you also can have an independent RSS feed for your podcast, which looks like “https://www.yourdomain.com/category/podcast/feed”.

Step 2 – Install Your Podcast Plugin

To echo our recommended podcast hosting provider of Blubrry, here, we suggest you to install their self-developed plugin from this page. Upon the installation, you can find a new button named as PowerPress in your WordPress admin. Click it to enter the setting page for plugin configurations.

First of all, you should combine this plugin with your Blubrry hosting account by clicking the blue button showcased in the following screenshot, and offering your credential information for verification.

Then, you need to move on to the Podcast settings. For instance, you should decide the program title. If you do not make any changes, your podcast program will be named as your website title. Also, you need to determine the display of your media files in a post that has textual or graphical contents. Should the player of media be showcased below the content or above the content? Should the player be added automatically or manually using the special shortcode? All can be decided based on your preferences.

Step 3 – Upload Your Podcast to the Hosting Provider

Different podcast hosting may have different steps. This time, we take Blubrry as an example. Once you have logged into your hosting account, you can find a Content tab in your dashboard. Click it and hit the button of Media Files. Then, you can be presented with a new window just like the following screenshot shows. Click the folder icon to start uploading.

Next, this system simply shows you a pop-up window that requires you to select your podcast content from your local computer.

After double clicking your chosen file, it can be uploaded automatically. Here, you need to know that based on the size of your files, the process may take some minutes to finish.

As the uploading is 100% completed, you also need to verify your file by clicking the Verify button, specify the file size and duration, and add the poster image if you have.

Step 4 – Publish Your Podcast

Now, you can publish your first podcast on your WordPress site. Firstly, you need to create a new post, choose the category of podcast, enter the post title and define the good permalink. If possible, you also need to add the meta description and meta keywords for the better search engine optimization.

Then, below the content area, you can find a special box named as Podcast Episode, from which you can add the podcast file from Blurry. After clicking the upload icon, you can be presented with all the media files you have uploaded to your hosting account but are not published yet. Choose your target and click the Upload Media File button.

Here, if you haven’t specified the file size and duration on step 3, you also need to configure these two aspects.

Now, you simply need to publish this post and have your podcast available on the web.

Additional Steps

To better market your podcast, you can also set up the RSS feed for your podcasting using FeedBurner. As for how to do this, you can check this tutorial.

Besides, you can also submit your podcast to iTunes. After installing it on your computer and logging in using your Apple ID, you can click the Submit a Podcast button under the Podcasts menu. Then, offer the feed URL of your podcast for uploading.

Once the iTunes staffs review your content and approve it, your podcast can be available to iTunes directory.

Here, if you want your podcast to be informative on iTunes Store, you’d better go back to your PowerPress setting from WordPress dashboard, and make some configurations on iTunes settings, including the program title, summary, category, image and many more.

I've been an experienced web developer, SEOer and technical writer since 2003. I worked in many international high-tech companies including Microsoft and Autodesk before 2012. Now I own a startup company in San Francisco, CA, focusing on developing websites and blogs to deliver exceptional results to global readers by leveraging the power of Internet.
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